Monkey Shines is certainly one of the more interesting entries into George Romero’s illustrious career and although it wasn’t my cup of tea (I guess the monkey killer subgenre doesn’t quite do it for me), yet it does have its moments and Jason Beghe gives a good performance.
There’s really no reason for Step Up: All In to even exist mainly because everything outside of some of the dance chorography was poorly done, in particular a thin story. But, for fans of the series, they might get more out of this as it does bring together some favorites, except for Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan whose presence I think would’ve been beneficial even as cameos.
Although Desolation of Smaug is an improvement over Unexpected Journey, I still wasn’t crazy about the installment with the action scenes, albeit well filmed, seemingly blurring from one to the next and you once more had references to LOTR, a series I have far more interest in re-watching and caring about than this one thus far.
Free Fall is the typical direct-to-video thriller with a plot stretched far too thin, filled with cliché after cliché and acting that’s at best average and is just an all around poorly made flick with little redeeming value.
Somewhere in there, The Scribbler is a good concept but poorly executed from both the direction and screenplay, though at the very least Katie Cassidy does well in the title role while the supporting cast, as impressive as they might be, were either miscast or, in the case of Gina Gershon, vastly underutilized.
Deliver Us from Evil is an effective film that keeps one on the edge until the end, even if the finale doesn’t give us anything new in the genre. The cast is well put together and the direction by Scott Derrickson is successful building on his respectable resume following The Exorcism of Emily Rose and Sinister.
“The Sopranos” is clearly one of the best television series ever created and throughout its 6 (and a half) seasons, it maintained quality through direction, writing and especially the acting both by not only James Gandolfini but Edie Falco as well. This “Complete Series” set is thankfully well put together as most of the features have been ported over.
The Prince is a generic action movie that seemed to be geared towards Jason Statham but instead got Jason Patric who at least did come off better bad ass than he did in Speed 2… Still, it’s passable entertainment even though you won’t remember a single thing about it the following day.
The Believers isn’t a bad supernatural thriller though it does kind of fall apart towards the third act to the point of near absurdity, but even so, might be worth a watch if only for some half-decent performances from Martin Sheen and Robert Loggia.
Kingpin is a quirky and effective comedy directed by the Farrelly Brothers combining tasteless humor with some heartwarming scenes that made There’s Something About Mary special.
“Adventure Time”: The Complete Fourth Season is yet another successful and incredibly funny addition the popular series that appeals to most age groups, though an older audience seems to have more appreciation for it thanks to great stories, characters and all around funny situations, as inane as they are.
The Squad is a well made movie coming out of Colombia but it’s not without its problems nor does it take advantage of an interesting plot. Still, it might be worth a watch so long as it’s only the cost of a rental.
The Vanishing is yet another poor remake and even though it was from the same director (may he RIP) as the original, the acting was bad especially from Jeff Bridges who was more oddball than creepy, and a story that doesn’t have the same flow or pacing compared with the 1988 version.
The Steven Spielberg: Director’s Collection is a fine selection, that Universal has access to, that general movies fans will appreciate, even if a couple aren’t that great (1941 and Always specifically). However, given the studio’s history, those who already own previous releases like E.T. and Jurassic Park, could wait as I’m sure the exclusive titles will come available on their own at some point down the road.
Begin Again is one enjoyable movie about the music industry without too many inclusionary or referential backgrounds, unlike something like High Fidelity (which is a great movie on its own), and instead is a light-hearted character drama with some catchy songs and actually, Knightley isn’t a half-bad singer. Basically, this is a fun movie that’s neither challenging nor forgettable at the same time.